S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6990
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 18, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GIBBS -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Correction
 
 AN ACT to amend the  correction  law  and  the  state  finance  law,  in
   relation  to providing for money upon release for certain incarcerated
   individuals; and making an appropriation therefor

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 12 to
 read as follows:
   §  12.  REENTRY  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM.  1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, THE
 FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "PROGRAM" MEANS THE REENTRY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED  PURSU-
 ANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   (B)  "ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL" MEANS AN INCARCERATED INDIVID-
 UAL WHO IS RELEASED FROM A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AFTER  SERVING  A
 MINIMUM  OF  SIX  MONTHS  WHO HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED MONEY FROM THE
 PROGRAM.
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEVELOP A REENTRY  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM  THAT
 PROVIDES  FOR  ELIGIBLE  INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUALS  TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY
 STIPEND UPON RELEASE FROM A STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
   3. (A) STIPENDS PAID TO AN ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED  INDIVIDUAL  PURSUANT
 TO  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL BE NO LESS THAN FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS
 PER MONTH FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO  SIX  MONTHS.    THE  MAXIMUM  AGGREGATE
 AMOUNT  ANY  INDIVIDUAL  SHALL  RECEIVE FROM THE PROGRAM IS TWO THOUSAND
 FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS.
   (B) THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION  SHALL  BE
 ADJUSTED  ANNUALLY  FOR INFLATION AS DETERMINED FROM THE INCREASE IN THE
 CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IN THE ONE YEAR PERIOD ENDING ON THE MARCH  THIRTY-
 FIRST  PRIOR  TO  THE COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT EFFECTIVE ON THE ENSUING
 SEPTEMBER FIRST.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10681-01-5
 A. 6990                             2
              

 
   4. (A) THE INITIAL PAYMENT OF A PROGRAM STIPEND SHALL  BE  MADE  IMME-
 DIATELY UPON RELEASE OF THE ELIGIBLE INCARCERATED INDIVIDUAL IN THE FORM
 OF  CASH  OR  A  CHECK. SUCH PROGRAM STIPEND SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO ANY
 OTHER FUNDS TO BE PAID OR RETURNED TO SUCH INDIVIDUAL.
   (B)  SUBSEQUENT PROGRAM STIPEND PAYMENTS SHALL BE MADE ON THE FIRST OF
 EACH MONTH BY THE COMMUNITY  SUPERVISION  AGENCY  RESPONSIBLE  FOR  SUCH
 INDIVIDUAL.
   5.  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO AN INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUAL WHO IS RELEASED TO THE CUSTODY OF ANOTHER STATE OR THE FEDER-
 AL GOVERNMENT.
   6. STIPEND PAYMENTS PAID PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION
 SHALL  NOT  BE  TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY OR
 CALCULATING THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS FOR ANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
   7. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLECT DATA ON  THE  NUMBER  OF  INCARCERATED
 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND ISSUE A REPORT ON SUCH DATA
 TO  THE  GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER
 OF THE ASSEMBLY ANNUALLY.
   8. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS  NECES-
 SARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ss to
 read as follows:
   § 99-SS. REENTRY ASSISTANCE FUND. 1. A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE
 "REENTRY  ASSISTANCE  FUND"  IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED IN THE CUSTODY OF THE
 STATE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND FINANCE.
   2. THE FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL  MONIES  APPROPRIATED,  CREDITED,  OR
 TRANSFERRED  TO  SUCH  FUND  PURSUANT TO LAW, ALL MONIES REQUIRED BY ANY
 PROVISION OF LAW TO BE PAID INTO OR CREDITED TO THE FUND AND ANY  INTER-
 EST EARNINGS WHICH MAY ACCRUE FROM THE INVESTMENT OF MONIES IN THE FUND.
 NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING
 GRANTS,  GIFTS  OR  BEQUESTS  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS DEFINED IN
 THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING THEM IN THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONIES OF THE FUND, WHEN  ALLOCATED,  SHALL  BE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE
 DEPARTMENT  OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION TO PROVIDE STIPENDS
 PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION TWELVE OF THE CORRECTION LAW.
   4. MONIES SHALL BE PAYABLE FROM THE FUND ON THE AUDIT AND  WARRANT  OF
 THE  COMPTROLLER  ON VOUCHERS APPROVED AND CERTIFIED BY THE COMMISSIONER
 OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPERVISION.
   § 3. The sum of twenty-five million dollars  ($25,000,000)  is  hereby
 appropriated  from  any moneys in the state treasury in the general fund
 to the credit of the reentry assistance  fund  established  pursuant  to
 section 99-ss of the state finance law in carrying out the provisions of
 this  act.    Such  sum shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the
 state comptroller on  vouchers  certified  or  approved  in  the  manner
 provided by law.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.  Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.